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What does a senior project specialist do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read

The job of a senior project specialist is to manage a portfolio of projects and ensure that these projects achieve quality development outcomes. You will perform a variety of duties that include providing day-to-day support to teams, preparing and reviewing requests for project-related activities, and overseeing the project's financial aspects by reviewing monthly invoices. In addition, you will monitor monthly costs and track contract expenditures against total obligated funds and budget. As a senior project specialist, it is also your responsibility to recruit short- and long-term personnel.

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Senior project specialist responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior project specialist resumes:

  • Lead team that develop an integrate database with a web-base user interface that allow repair crews in locating information and equipment.
  • Create, document and maintain work instructions prior to any new PMO process implementation.
  • Work on sharepoint as a data repository to upload the documents for different projects and sort it by phase.
  • Develop and maintain project SharePoint site.
  • Coordinate project team and/or customer meetings including logistics and materials require.
  • Skil in operation management, planning, logistics and resource optimization.
  • Communicate vulnerability management risks to senior stakeholders that include business units, infrastructure organizations, and senior management.
  • Direct and coordinate project and sub-projects to confirm scope and detail strategic plans for aligning business capabilities across new technology architecture.
  • Maintain PeopleSoft HRIS system and personnel files.
  • Work with proposal teams on RFP and RFI responses.
  • Generate drawings and specifications using AutoCAD software xviii.
  • Utilize AutoCAD for engineering space design projects and customize AutoCAD menus using AutoLISP.

Senior project specialist skills and personality traits

We calculated that 33% of Senior Project Specialists are proficient in Project Management, PowerPoint, and Status Reports. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Listening skills, and Speaking skills.

We break down the percentage of Senior Project Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Project Management, 33%

    Achieved three consecutive promotions within three years to Senior Project Specialist, recognizing effective project management capacity and industry expertise.

  • PowerPoint, 6%

    Developed training manuals for the facilitation of knowledge transfer meetings and presentations with Microsoft PowerPoint customized slides.

  • Status Reports, 5%

    Create and maintain required documentation including project logs, project schedule and status reports.

  • Program Management, 4%

    Developed and executed overall program management and change management strategies around complex business initiatives by utilizing proven methodologies and techniques.

  • Digital Marketing, 4%

    Managed the dissemination of new features by introducing digital marketing activities that successfully increased consumer awareness measured by increased site visits.

  • Project Scope, 3%

    Manage project inventory and maintain contact with all involved team members to clarify project scope and ensure any appropriate change orders.

"project management," "powerpoint," and "status reports" are among the most common skills that senior project specialists use at work. You can find even more senior project specialist responsibilities below, including:

Problem-solving skills. Another common skill required for senior project specialist responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." This skill comes up in the duties of senior project specialists all the time, as "management analysts must be able to think creatively to solve clients’ problems." An excerpt from a real senior project specialist resume shows how this skill is central to what a senior project specialist does: "provided status reports to the special projects manager which includes attendance, outstanding problems and suggested resolutions. "

Analytical skills. Lastly, "analytical skills" is an important element of what a senior project specialist does. Senior project specialist responsibilities require this skill because "management analysts must be able to interpret information and use their findings to make proposals." This resume example highlights how senior project specialist duties rely on this skill: "manage the department hr data as the sap oversight unit data manager. "

Most common senior project specialist skills

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Compare different senior project specialists

Senior project specialist vs. Project manager/team lead

Project Managers are responsible for managing and overseeing the operations of a project from inception to completion. Their duties include defining project scope, developing a project plan, creating work breakdown structures to distribute resources, and communicating responsibilities to all project team members and vendors. They organizie work schedules, set milestones, track project progress, resolve technical issues, articulate roadblocks to project sponsors, propose risk mitigation strategies, and maintain project documentation. Project Managers also handle file submission for project closure, conduct post-project evaluations, supervise project communications, act as chairman in project status meetings, develop project governance structures and liaise with system security managers to coordinate system security activities.

If we compare the average senior project specialist annual salary with that of a project manager/team lead, we find that project managers/team lead typically earn a $19,764 higher salary than senior project specialists make annually.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between senior project specialists and project managers/team lead are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like project management, status reports, and project scope.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between senior project specialists and project manager/team lead. For instance, senior project specialist responsibilities require skills such as "powerpoint," "program management," "digital marketing," and "customer satisfaction." Whereas a project manager/team lead is skilled in "infrastructure," "risk management," "project budget," and "business development." This is part of what separates the two careers.

The education levels that project managers/team lead earn slightly differ from senior project specialists. In particular, project managers/team lead are 2.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a senior project specialist. Additionally, they're 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Senior project specialist vs. Project manager & leader

A project manager & leader is responsible for monitoring the overall project management and staff operations, ensuring the efficiency and accuracy of project deliverables to meet the client's requirements, and achieving the highest customer satisfaction. Project managers/leaders implement strategic procedures to minimize costs while maximizing operational productivity. They identify business opportunities by analyzing the current market trends to develop services that would meet the clients' demands and the public's interests. A project manager & leader also handles the department budget, allocating adequate resources, and maintaining an organized delegation of tasks for the employees.

A career as a project manager & leader brings a higher average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a senior project specialist. In fact, project managers & leader salary is $14,879 higher than the salary of senior project specialists per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Senior project specialists and project managers & leader both require similar skills like "project management," "status reports," and "project scope" to carry out their responsibilities.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, senior project specialist responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "powerpoint," "program management," "digital marketing," and "issue resolution." Meanwhile, a project manager & leader has duties that require skills in areas such as "infrastructure," "strong problem-solving," "risk management," and "project plan." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Project managers & leader may earn a higher salary than senior project specialists, but project managers & leader earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $104,848. On the other hand, senior project specialists receive higher pay in the insurance industry, where they earn an average salary of $108,209.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Project managers & leader tend to reach similar levels of education than senior project specialists. In fact, they're 4.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Senior project specialist vs. Project management lead

A project management lead is in charge of overseeing all processes involved in the planning and delivery of projects in an organization. Their responsibilities typically revolve around coordinating departments and personnel involved in every project to ensure accuracy and timeliness, managing budget and expenditures, producing progress reports and presentations, assessing risks, and delivering optimal quality results. Furthermore, as a management lead, it is crucial to lead and encourage team members, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

An average project management lead eans a lower salary compared to the average salary of senior project specialists. The difference in salaries amounts to project management leads earning a $2,096 lower average salary than senior project specialists.Using the responsibilities included on senior project specialists and project management leads resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "project management," "digital marketing," and "project scope.rdquo;

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, senior project specialists are more likely to have skills like "powerpoint," "status reports," "program management," and "microsoft project." But a project management lead is more likely to have skills like "customer service," "portfolio," "risk management," and "plumbing."

Project management leads earn the highest salary when working in the energy industry, where they receive an average salary of $108,150. Comparatively, senior project specialists have the highest earning potential in the insurance industry, with an average salary of $108,209.Most project management leads achieve a similar degree level compared to senior project specialists. For example, they're 4.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.7% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Senior project specialist vs. Associate project manager

An Associate Project Manager helps the project manager in the successful implementation of the project. They ensure that projects are effectively planned and well-organized.

Associate project managers average a higher salary than the annual salary of senior project specialists. The difference is about $2,239 per year.While both senior project specialists and associate project managers complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like project management, powerpoint, and digital marketing, the two careers vary in some skills.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between senior project specialists and associate project managers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a senior project specialist might have more use for skills like "status reports," "program management," "issue resolution," and "sigma." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of associate project managers require skills like "project documentation," "risk management," "meeting minutes," and "customer service. "

In general, associate project managers hold similar degree levels compared to senior project specialists. Associate project managers are 1.6% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 1.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of senior project specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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